Don't Bottle It Up
by LunaLlama9
Summary: Neville has changed a lot and Hermione can't help but notice.  Unfortunately, both are too unsure of themselves to act on their feelings. What will it take to make them take the next step?
1. Changes

If you asked someone at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry to describe Neville Longbottom, they would say would say "clumsy", "forgetful", or "round-faced". These were not insults, but merely the perceived truths about Neville Longbottom. Indeed, he was often remembered as the boy who melted his cauldron, or the boy who forgot his Remembrall. While he was still clumsy and somewhat forgetful, Neville was no longer a round-faced little boy. At some point that no one could quite pin down, he grew up.

Neville had slimmed down, traded his baby fat for muscle, and shot up about a foot. He towered over most of the other boys and slouched to hide his height. His awkwardness had perhaps even increased in some ways, as he was still not used to his longer limbs. More than once, Neville bumped his head on the low, stone archways leading to the dungeons, much to Snape's amusement. He took it in stride though, and brushed it off with a lop-sided grin.

This lop-sided grin and the beginnings of a constant five-o'clock shadow drew the eyes of many girls, including those closest to him. His stammer had also faded, except when Professor Snape addressed him to criticize his skills as a wizard. Even this was happening less often by the end of the fifth year. It seemed as if Neville Longbottom had caught up with himself.

"Did you see him, Hermione? What happened to him?" whispered Ginny. They were sitting alone on the Hogwarts express while the boys had gone to put away their trunks. It was the beginning of Hermione's sixth year and Ginny's fifth.

"Dunno, Ginny, but it's working, isn't it?" Hermione had also noticed the drastic changes in Neville Longbottom. She had seen the other girls doing double-takes as they passed him in the corridor. Jaws were dropping every second. Hermione watched as Neville stopped to speak to Seamus and Dean, twirling her hair self-consciously.

Ginny had noticed Hermione staring almost hungrily at Neville. She grinned. This was quite unlike the usual, reserved Hermione. "Ooh, Hermione. You fancy him, don't you?" Ginny teased. Hermione turned bright red and turned quickly to stare out the window.

"I—well, he's our friend," she muttered, still looking sideways as the boys returned. They were talking loudly about Quidditch as they slid the compartment door open and tumbled in. Harry and Ron sat next to Ginny while Neville slid in next to Hermione.

"A-are you okay, Hermione? You look a bit feverish," Neville said quietly. This made Hermione turn red all over again. Ginny snickered and Neville looked startled. "Here, let's crack the window," Neville said as he reached over Hermione to the window. He smelled of toothpaste and cut grass, but more than that, he smelled muskier. More like a man. He was bigger, too. In the short minute it took Neville to open the window, Hermione saw how his body engulfed hers. She let out a squeak that only Ginny and Neville heard.

"I-I'm fine, Neville. Thank you. It still is quite warm for September, isn't it?" Hermione rambled.

"No, it was rather cool this morning," Ginny said. She was fighting to keep from smirking at Hermione's feeble attempt to brush off her embarrassment. Neville gave them both a confused look.

"Oh no, Hermione! Maybe you need a Pepper-Up potion. Or I have some willow bark to chew on. You know it's great for fevers," Neville said shyly. "Shall I—"

"Please don't worry Neville, I feel fine! Much better with the window open," Hemione said, trying to soothe his worries. She really didn't feel better at all. Hermione felt rather hot and could do nothing for it. No one could really, except, perhaps Neville.

As they settled into their seats for the long ride, Hermione turned again to the window, lost in thought. When had she noticed the changes in Neville? He had grown taller by the end of last year and had really settled into his studies when the OWLs came around. This change was the most impressive to Hermione. A boy was very attractive to Hermione if he studied hard and valued knowledge the way she did. Looks didn't matter so much, but Neville was now both handsome and studious.

Hermione did not know what to do. Since the age of eleven, she and Neville had been good friends. He was a sweet, sincere boy who always required help, especially in Potions. But now he had become a more independent young man. He was still very sweet. Even now he was fussing over her "fever" while Ginny tried to tell him that sometimes girls just overheated. It was not entirely untrue and Hermione was glad that Neville had missed Ginny's little double entendre. "She thinks she's so clever," Hermione thought.

Soon enough, the trolley came and they all loaded up on sweets. It was now tradition to pile everything in the middle and share. Hermione and Neville reached for the last Cauldron Cake at the same time. Their hands brushed and both pulled back abruptly, blushing.

"Oh, you have it Neville," Hermione said.

"Oh, I couldn't," he said. "Let's split it, shall we?"

"Yes, let's. I'm almost full anyway," she said, casting a glance at the large pile of sweet wrappers between them. "I've eaten almost as much as Ron."

Everyone laughed at this, even Ron. Hermione's joke helped break the tension. It was a very good trip. Hermione was still very aware of Neville's presence but calmed down enough to join the conversation and not turn pink every time Neville flashed her a lop-sided grin.

Once they had arrived at Hogwarts and filed into the Great Hall, Hermione found herself stuck between Ron and Neville. They all settled down to watch the Sorting Hat decide the placement of all the incoming students. Gryffindor received ten new additions, making the benches slightly crowded. Neville scooted closer to Hermione to let a small brown-haired boy slide in next to him. He didn't seem to have noticed his leg pressing next to Hermione's, or perhaps he didn't care. Neville smiled at the boy and turned to Hermione. She had turned red again and scooted over into Ron, almost knocking his thankfully empty glass over.

"You really need to get to bed after we eat, Hermione. You still look feverish," said Neville.

"Yes, I will," Hermione said vaguely. Her leg was still hot where his had pressed into her.

After a very delicious and very filling feast, the Gryffindors made their way to the tower that housed their dorms and common room.

"Password!" barked the Fat Lady.

"Quid Agis," said Hermione, who was still a prefect.

"Very well, and yourself?" replied the Fat Lady as she swung open.

The students clambered in and settled themselves in their dorms and the common room. They were enjoying their last night before the homework piled on.


	2. The Chair By the Fire

The weeks passed in a blur of parchment and wand-waving. Hermione had been paired with Neville in advanced potions, but no one quite knew how he had gotten into the class, even with Professor Slughorn teaching. No one could ignore the immense strides Neville had made in his potions endeavors, either.

Neville displayed, in general, a good deal more confidence in all of his school work. He called on Hermione to help him less but to study and compare notes and ideas. They enjoyed their studies together and had many conversations about anything and everything.

Ever observant, Ginny noticed their study sessions were turning into something more. She, and others, saw how much closer Hermione and Neville had moved their chairs over the past few weeks. She saw the smiles and the way Hermione turned pink when Neville brushed her hand accidentally on purpose.

Ginny was quite proud of Neville. He had harbored feelings for Hermione since the fourth year at least. He had grown up and made himself into a man that any girl would be lucky to have. She smiled and tapped Harry's arm, nodding in Neville's and Hermione's direction with a small smile. Harry grinned. He was happy that his close friends' budding relationship made them both so happy. Now if only they would make it real.

The next day found Hermione curled by the fire with a book balanced gently on top of Crookshanks, who lay in her lap. The portrait opened and Neville climbed in, dirty from helping Professor Sprout in Greenhouse 7. He was the only one she really trusted to help her with such difficult plants. Harry, Ron and Hermione could only begin to imagine the dangerous plants that grew in Greenhouse 7.

"Hermione?" Neville asked quietly, not really wanting to wake her. "Hermione?" He reached out his hand to tap her shoulder but decided against it. He didn't want to get dirt on her white skin.

She had fallen asleep reading and the book had slid to the ground. Neville picked it up and read "Magical Water Plants of the Highland Lochs", by Hadrian Whittle. This was a book that he had loaned her earlier in the day. Crookshanks opened a large, orange eye to peer at Neville. He meowed quietly and jumped off of Hermione's lap to wend his way around Neville's legs. Neville bent down to scratch him on the chin. Crookshanks seemed pleased with this and walked away as if he knew Hermione was in good hands.

Neville watched Hermione breathing. Her hair had fallen in her face and he bent to brush it away. Looking around and seeing no one else in the room, Neville brought his lips to her forehead. It was a sweet, sincere kiss that could have come from a friend or lover.

The next day was Saturday morning and Hermione was once again sitting in an overstuffed chair in front of the common room fire. The room was empty of other students. Only she and Crookshanks occupied the room. It was peaceful to be here with her favorite book, "Hogwarts, A History", while everyone else was outside. It was a beautiful fall day. Hermione had planned to read by the lake but when she saw the common room empty for once, she jumped at the chance for solitude.

Hermione had been reading for about an hour when she heard the portrait open. She didn't turn to look, hoping whoever it was would not see her and go straight to their dormitory.

"Hermione? What are you doing here?" said Neville.

"Oh, Neville. Hi. I was just reading. You know, enjoying the quiet. What are you doing inside now? Why are you so dirty?"

"I was just out in the Greenhouses and thought I'd clean myself up before lunch. I'm sorry, I'll leave you be," he said, walking to the staircase leading to the boy's dorm.

"Don't worry about it Neville. Did you have fun?" she asked, knowing he had. The amount of fun Neville had in Herbology directly correlated to how much potting soil was on his person at the end of the period. Right now he had a second skin made entirely of dirt, it seemed.

Neville brightened immediately. Not many bothered to share his enthusiasm for herbology.

"Oh yes! I was helping Professor Sprout with some particularly nasty Snargaluffs. They were throwing their potting soil at us!"

"That's wonderful, Neville. Maybe it will make it easier on the rest of us next week. You have a way with plants," she said, smiling.

"Yeah, well, thanks Hermione," he said, blushing under the caked dirt. Not many people complimented him and he wasn't sure how to handle it when they did. When Hermione smiled like that it made him all hot. He was certain she could see his blush even under the layers of grime. "I better be off then. It'll be lunch soon."

He ran off to take a very cold shower. Hermione was getting to him, and she had no idea. He hadn't understood at first either, really. Neville grabbed some clean robes and ran to the boy's bathroom. He went into a shower stall and undressed, leaving his dirty things in the basket where they disappeared, presumably whisked away by house-elf magic to be cleaned. He pulled the curtain shut and turned the water on cold at full blast. He gasped and felt himself calming down, if only a little. After a few minutes he added some warm water and starting soaping himself up. He watched as the dirt fell from his body in rivulets and swirled around the drain.

It was as if he was washing off a layer of himself. Neville wished he could wash away all of his insecurities, wash away his problems and start fresh. Better yet, he wished Hermione would do it for him. Neville groaned at the thought of Hermione in the shower with him, rubbing soap up and down his body. He liked the thought of doing the same to her even better. He was quite certain she was beautiful under those billowing school robes and wanted very badly to know what they were hiding. This time, instead of using cold water to push these thoughts away, he let himself finish with his hands. No one was around for once and he had to take advantage of this rare moment that allowed him to properly fantasize.

He finished and rinsed off, feeling rather guilty about what he had done. That was not something Neville did frequently, but Hermione had been getting to him lately and he couldn't keep himself bottled up. It wasn't her fault, but Neville couldn't help but feel a little guilty for putting her in "those positions" in his head. He was sure she wasn't that type of girl. He got dressed and ran down to the common room.

Hermione was still sitting in her chair by the fire, stroking Crookshanks between the ears. When she saw Neville, she untangled her legs from her curled up position, dropping her book and accidentally showing Neville a little peek under her skirt. She did not realize this and bent to pick up her book, giving him another view he quite enjoyed.

"Sh-shall we go to lunch?" Neville asked, aware he was turning pink again. Certain thoughts were surfacing in his mind and he wanted to quash them before they created a visible problem for him.

"Yes! I'm starving, let's go!" Hermione said, sincerely hoping he hadn't heard her stomach rumbling. She peered at him. Either he was too polite to say anything or he really hadn't heard. They climbed out the portrait and headed down to a delicious lunch of jacket potatoes with anything you could possibly want to top them


	3. Wrackspurts

Luna wove her way over to the Gryffindor table, a dreamy look on her face. Today she had tiny blue ribbons tied throughout her hair. They appeared to bounce and curl with her hair. It was a very nice change from her usual messy hair and radish earings.

"Hello, Luna. Your hair looks very nice. Is that a Color Change Charm?" asked Hermione. She thought the blue suited Luna's eyes very well, and it looked very realistic, the way the ribbons blended into her hair.

"No," Luna answered. "It's a Texture Charm. Someone sent it to my father. They wanted him to publish it, but we had to see that it would work first didn't we?"

"That's very dangerous! You shouldn't just try random spells on yourself!" Hermione said, alarmed.

"Oh, no, it's quite all right. I tried it first on our kneazle and he was quite all right. In fact, he won't let me undo it. That's a little vain, don't you think?"

Hermione laughed, trying to imagine Crookshanks allowing himself to have ribbons tied into his long coat and charmed. It could only end in death.

"Oh hello, Neville, I didn't see you there," Luna said. How she had missed him, no one knew, since she had had to squeeze herself between him and Hermione.

"It's okay, Luna. I'm used to it," Neville said quietly. He really hadn't been paying attention. He had been wondering what Hermione would look like with little charmed ribbons in her hair. Eggplant colored ribbons would suit her well. Aubergine, he thought his grandmother called it. Maybe even green, damned Slytherin color.

"You've got wrackspurts, Neville," sang Luna. "Lots of wrackspurts! Perhaps I can find you the Quibbler article my father wrote on how to be rid of them." With that, she wondered off, muttering to herself about possible Quibbler hiding places.

"Are you alright, Neville? Luna might be right. You are looking a bit…off," Hermione said kindly. She placed one hand on his arm and the other on his forehead. She knew he wasn't really sick but wanted an excuse to touch him. She was surprised that he did, in fact, feel quite warm.

"Neville, you should lay down! You're burning up!"

"I'm fine, Hermione. Just worked to hard this morning, yeah? Shall we finish up and go to the library?" Neville replied, trying to play it cool. He knew exactly why he was so hot and her hands on him weren't helping.

"Okay, you go back and get your things while I finish up here," said Hermione.

"Hey, I'll go too! I need you to look at my—" Ron stopped short. Harry had smacked him on the leg at the same time Ginny hit him on the head. They both glared at him. "Er, I mean, later. I'll ask later," he stuttered. Ron still was trying to find little ways to come between Hermione and Neville. He no longer really had feelings for Hermione, but a voice in his head still said she was "his", even though she never really was.

"All right, see you all later then. Good luck with practice Harry, Ginny!" Hermione called over her shoulder, heading to the library.

Harry and Ginny walked down to the Quidditch pitch hand in hand. They were very comfortable with their relationship at this point, despite the various rumors surrounding them.

"Do you think they'll ever get a move on?" Ginny asked Harry.

"Who? Neville and Hermione? Not without help," he said absentmindedly. He loved his friends but wondered why they were so afraid of each other. It was as if they sincerely had no idea what to do with the other. No, Harry was actually quite sure Neville knew what to do, what he very much wanted to do, but was too afraid. If the things Neville said in his sleep were any indication, Neville might have Hermione up against a wall screaming his name faster than you could say "Mimbulus Mimbletonia". If it had been any other boy thinking these things about Hermione, Harry might have been upset and worried. He might even have resorted to threats of violence.

But this was Neville, whom he knew to be an intensely shy, sweet boy. Harry knew Neville was just coming to terms with the changes in himself and was confused by his feelings towards Hermione. He knew that Neville feared hurting her physically and emotionally and would be unable to handle it if he did, even accidentally.

"We should do something about it," said Ginny, knocking Harry out of his reverie. "Maybe we should lock them in a brook closet or the Room of Requirement and not let them out til they've shagged themselves senseless."

"Ginny!" Harry exclaimed. "How will that help? They're both afraid of hurting each other so they've…they've stagnated."

"That's very deep and all, Harry, but don't you think some sort of…jolt would do them good? They can't bottle it up forever. They need something to clear out the wrackspurts, as Luna would say."

"Well, yes. But perhaps something more subtle? At least at first. If it doesn't work, then we'll try your way, yeah?" Harry said as they turned onto the pitch, brooms in hand.

"Let me think about it. I can do subtle. When I want to," Ginny said, with a twinkle in her eye. She kicked off the ground and was soaring in the air, Harry laughing close behind her.


	4. The Plan

"Hogsmeade weekend this Saturday!" Ginny sang as she joined the Gryffindor table for breakfast Monday morning. She plopped herself between Harry and Hermione, grinning.

"That's perfect! I need some new quills and parchment," said Hermione. No one went through quills and parchment as quickly as Hermione. She had been using a Scribblifors spell on some spoons so that she could have extra quills, but much preferred the real thing, as they did not suddenly turn back into spoons after an hour or two of intense essay writing.

"I need some too. And I'd like to go to Honeydukes," said Neville. He too had been running through supplies due to his study sessions with Hermione. He had been using a Multiplying Charm for parchment, which they had been sharing.

"Why don't we all go together?" said Harry, eyeing Ginny. He was pretty sure he knew what she was aiming at.

"That sounds wonderful!" Ginny said, clapping her hands. "Just us four! Shall we meet at the Great Hall around ten, then?"

"Yes, that's perfect," said Hermione. She had a feeling that Ginny was up to something but couldn't put her finger on it. There was a strong possibility that Ginny had roped Harry into her little plan as well. Ginny had him wrapped around her little finger.

The week passed quickly and without incident. Hermione and Neville had finished all of their homework during a marathon study session in the common room Friday night. Harry and Ginny had managed to talk the two into looking over a few of their essays as well. They were quite pleased with themselves until Hermione and Neville took to their parchments with red ink. Not much was left of the original essays but they were much better and still maintained the writers' original voice. Harry and Ginny apparently still had work to look forward to when they got back from Hogsmeade.

Everyone slept soundly that night, thanks in part to the study session and a very heavy dinner of steak, potatoes, assorted vegetables, meat pies and breads. Hermione woke the next morning to find Ginny in her dorm with a pile of clothes in her arms and a grin on her face.

"What are you doing?" Hermione asked suspiciously. Those were not her clothes. Ginny dumped the pile onto Hermione's bed unceremoniously. She smiled sweetly.

"They're clothes for you to try on. You know, for your date today," she said.

"What date?" Hermione asked. The plan had been for her, Harry, Ginny and Neville to go to Hogsmeade together. Then it clicked. "Oh, Ginny. I don't know. I like Neville, but don't you think this isn't what he wants?"

"Actually, I'm quite certain of what he wants, thanks to Harry. Apparently Neville talks in his sleep and is quite…vociferous about you," Ginny replied with a smirk. Hermione turned pink, wondering what exactly Neville's dreams about her involved. "Try this on."

She pulled the lavender jumper on over a tank top. It was quite tight and showed much more than she was comfortable with. Hermione peered at the pile of clothes and pulled out a dark purple dress. Aubergine, her mother called it. It was a modest tank dress that came a few inches above her knees.

"This. I like this, Ginny," she said, pulling the jumper off with some effort. She put on the dress and turned in the mirror. With a cardigan and scarf, it would be perfect. Ginny seemed to be thinking the same thing and handed her a teal cardigan and hand-dyed scarf.

"This needs something else. Accio boots!" said Ginny. A pair of grey riding-style boots came zooming into the room. Hermione caught them and pulled them on. "Perfect! Let's go!"

The girls raced down to the Great Hall to meet the boys. Finding clothes had taken far longer than they thought and the dorm was left looking like someone's wardrobe had exploded.

"Morning, ladies," Harry grinned. "You both look lovely today."

"Thank you," said Ginny, eyeing Neville. Harry had done his part and prevented Neville from wearing one of his awful jumpers. He had suggested a T-shirt and blazer with jeans instead. Even Ginny appreciated how the T-shirt fit Neville's slim form, hitting his hips right wear his jeans hung just low enough to accentuate his long, lean torso.

"Y-you look beautiful today, Hermione," Neville stuttered. She was the only one who made him stutter. Not even Professor Snape's looming figure made Neville stutter anymore. She blushed at the complement and smiled.

"You look very handsome today, too," she said quietly. Harry and Ginny had set off down the lawn already. Neville and Hermione lagged behind. "Did Harry tell you about today?"

"That it's a date? Yes. I was rather surprised. I'm glad you didn't get mad and leave though," Neville said. Hermione looked at him with surprise.

"Leave? Why would I leave? I was afraid you would do that!" she said. Hermione wondered if Neville had any idea how she felt at all. Then she realized there was no way he could and she was completely at fault. She had to tell him!

"Neville…I really like you. Ginny and Harry cared enough to help do what I was too afraid to do."

"You mean what I was too afraid to do?" Neville said, beginning to see where this was going. "I like you too. A lot."

"Well, then it's settled. We were quite silly weren't we?" she giggled. Then she did something that surprised them both. Hermione slipped her small arm around his muscular one. They walked arm in arm all the way to Hogsmeade.

Harry and Ginny had mysteriously disappeared by the time they reached the little wizarding town, but it didn't bother Hermione and Neville. They took their time browsing the shops. Both stocked up on plenty of quills and parchment at Scrivenshaft's and had them sent back to the castle. Next, they stopped at Honeydukes to look at the latest confections. Hermione was quite taken with the new flavor of Sugar Quills. When she wasn't looking, Neville purchased five, plus a pack of sugared butterfly wings.

They finished the day at the Three Broomsticks. Neville grabbed two butterbeers from Madame Rosmerta while Hermione found a table in the corner. Neville carefully set the butterbeers down on the table so as not to spill the foam. It was the best part, after all. Hermione thanked him and took a long drink of hers, licking the foam from her lips.

"Hermione, you have a little—a little foam right…there," Neville said, pointing at the corner of her mouth.

"Oh, no!" Hermione blushed looked around for a napkin but couldn't find any.

"No, wait, I'll…get it," Neville said, turning redder. He leaned around the small table and gently licked the foam from her mouth. She gasped and turned to him, surprised at his boldness. Their mouths met as she turned. It was a very soft, sweet kiss. "I'm sorry!" Neville said, pulling away and looking guilty.

"I'm…no! Don't be! Why are you sorry?" she said, flushed already by the briefest contact with his lips. She licked her lips unconsciously, trying to embed his taste in her memory.

"I—I don't know? I guess I thought you didn't want that," he said uncomfortably. Was she licking her lips to get rid of his taste? It was only making him want more. Neville felt guilty once again.

"We're going out now, right? Of…of course I want it!" Hermione said. She was blushing furiously at this admission. Neville lit up as if Christmas had come early.

"Really? You mean it?" he asked, almost giddy. It was out of character for him, but then so was licking foam off of a girl's lips.

"Yes, really," she said, smiling now. "Shall we go somewhere else and finish this conversation?" She had noticed a few eyes wondering to their corner and heard some snickering coming from a table with a redheaded girl and green-eyed boy. Their plan had worked but they didn't need to know just how well it had worked.

They headed to the viewing field near the Shrieking Shack. It was deserted. People still believed that the Shack was the most haunted house in England. They sat down on a bench near the fence, slightly out of breath from the walk. It was about three in the afternoon. Many students had headed back to the castle even though they didn't have to be back for a few hours. Hermione scooted closer to Neville, pulling her jacket a little tighter.

"I like that color on you. The eggplant. My gran calls it aubergine," Neville said a little awkwardly, searching for anything to talk about.

"Oh, thank you. Ginny lent it to me. My mum calls it that too. It's a kind of muggle vegetable," she said, shivering slightly.

Neville saw her shiver and put his arm around her, a little uncertain of himself. When he felt her settle in quite close, he knew he had done the right thing. She fit perfectly into him, her small frame engulfed by his large one. Hermione was looking up at him, waiting for him to say something else. She had never noticed his little stubble before. It made him look quite manly, the way it emphasized his strong jaw-line.

Neville looked down at Hermione and grinned. He had gained a little confidence in the last few minutes. He decided to finish what he had started at the Three Broomsticks. He bent down and kissed her softly. Hermione stiffened a bit but relaxed after a moment. Neville licked her lips, probing with his tongue. She parted her lips and he very gently explored her mouth. Hermione kissed back with a little more vigor. Neville answered her kiss, gripping her back and head. He was being quite forceful, as if he was hungry, and only Hermione could sate him.

She groaned a little, pulling back to breathe. Hermione put her arms around his neck, stretching out to reach him again. Neville pulled her onto his lap so they were closer. He moved his mouth down to her neck, kissing right under her ear. He sucked and licked the spot before moving down to remove her scarf and expose her delicious clavicles to him. Hermione's chest was heaving slightly and he smiled to himself as he ran his tongue along her collarbones. She tasted salty and sweet at the same time. She ran a hand along his back, causing him to shudder. Neville stopped and looked into her eyes. They were misty, like his. She grabbed his jaw and pulled him down into another deep kiss. Hermione finally pulled away.

The sky had changed. It was almost six and they had to be back at the castle. Where had the time gone? Neville was running his hands up and down her back, making it very hard for her to stop.

"Neville? Neville, we need to get back. Or we'll be in trouble," she whispered, pulling him back to reality. She smiled at him and gave him a small kiss before climbing off of his lap. She straightened her dress before turning back to Neville. He took her hand and they walked off towards the castle together, both quite pleased with how the day had gone. Harry and Ginny would also be quite pleased with themselves to know that the plan had succeeded.


	5. Sugar Quills

The next morning at breakfast, the mail arrived in a flurry of feathers and parchment. Hermione looked around for the owl that usually delivered her Daily Prophet. He landed softly next to her plate of pancakes and held out his leg. Hermione untied the paper and paid him. He clicked his beak and looked longingly at her breakfast. She smiled and offered him the plate. She was quite fond of the little owl that was helping himself to her pancakes. He clicked his beak in thanks after a few bites and flew off to deliver more papers.

Just as she was about to settle into reading the front page another, larger owl landed beside her and held out his leg. A small package was tied to it. As she loosened the package from the bird's leg, he hopped to the left, stuck his beak in her pumpkin juice, hooted thanks, and flew away. Hermione turned the package over. It only had her name on the outside in a vaguely familiar script.

She opened it carefully, unsure of the contents. Hermione gasped to find five very fragile mango-flavored Sugar Quills and a package of beautiful blue sugared butterfly wings. She looked around and saw Neville pretending not to be watching her. He looked blushed and looked very intently at his eggs when he saw her looking at him. Hermione broke into a big smile and ran to give him a big hug. A few heads turned at this uncharacteristic display of affection and there were whispers throughout the hall. Neville was surprised as well, but hugged her back.

"Thank you! You shouldn't have done that, Neville! But I love them!" she exclaimed, hanging onto his arm.

"Oh, it's nothing, really. I like mango, too, so you'll have to let me have one, okay?" he said, not really meaning it. Neville would give Hermione anything she asked if he could. If he couldn't, he would try his damnedest anyway. After yesterday, his feelings for Hermione that had been slowly growing since fourth year had turned into something concrete. He was almost certain it was love, but didn't want to push things too fast.

"Well, I better put these away before class! Oh, but I'll take one to History of Magic! Maybe it will keep me awake!" Hermione said before rushing off to the dormitory.

"Nice, Neville. Yesterday was a resounding success, I take it?" Harry grinned. Neville hadn't said anything in his sleep last night. He could only assume that he had let some of those feelings loose with Hermione.

"Thanks to you and Ginny meddling in the affairs of others, yeah, I'd say so," Neville replied. He too was grinning his signature lop-sided grin that always made girls blush, even if he didn't realize it. Ginny scooted closer to Neville, looking very proud of herself.

"Now see if you can take it to the next level without our help. Or I will be forced to resort to Plan B," she whispered.

"Oh no! Plan B? Should I be very afraid, Harry?" Neville asked, mocking terror.

"Probably. It's because of me Plan B wasn't Plan A. Consider yourself lucky," replied Harry. He started packing his things and stood up. "Well, we better be going, eh Neville? Have a good day Ginny."

The boys made their way to History of Magic, which could have been one of the most interesting classes at Hogwarts if not for Professor Bins. Apparently he had been going through the motions in life, and was going through the motions in the after-life as well. Hermione was already seated and prepared for a long period of note taking with her new Sugar Quill. Harry and Neville slid into seats on either side of her. She was already gently sucking on the quill. Neville was quite glad he had decided on the large sized quills, since this was sure to be a long and boring class. They were covering the wizards of Ancient Egypt, which should have been fascinating, but Professor Binns managed to make even the curses used by pharaohs in their tombs sound like a symposium on sandpaper coarseness.

Hermione continued to suck on the quill throughout class. She may not have made it past Akhenaten and his failed physical transfiguration spells without the jolt of sugar. Neville spent most of the class watching Hermione gently sucking on the quill. He loved watching her tongue slide along the crystal feather and seeing her lips suck on the tip of the Sugar Quill. Ever so often her tongue slid out to lick the sugar off her lips. It was tantalizing and once again, Neville thanked the Hogwarts dress code for the large billowing robes that hid his excitement.

"Hermione?" he whispered. "Can I try some of that quill?"

"Hmm?" she answered dreamily. Apparently it wasn't enough sugar to keep her from day-dreaming in class. "Yes, it's quite good." She handed him the quill without thinking. She had her chin propped in her hand and her eyes were lidded. Neville noticed that they had a similar misty luster to them that he had seen yesterday near the Shrieking Shack. He pondered this as he tasted the Sugar Quill. The mango was very good, but he could also taste Hermione mixed into the flavor and sighed deeply. He continued sucking the Sugar Quill for a few moments, watching as Hermione's mind went elsewhere. What could she possibly be thinking about?

Hermione had been thinking about yesterday, in fact. She had be reliving every moment, ever detail, right down to the kiss mark he gave her under her ear. When Neville called her name in class, she didn't pay much attention other than to reluctantly hand him the Sugar Quill. It was really delicious.

Neville handed the quill back with a sigh. Hermione smiled at him and resumed sucking on it happily. It tasted better now, she thought. Like mango and Neville. She would have to share with him more often. Neville thought about how the quill had tasted like Hermione and wondered if she could taste him on it now.

The idea of her tasting him made him hot again. This was becoming a problem. He had to get himself under control, but the mental images that came to mind! He groaned with frustration and slammed his head down on the desk. Think of Snape in Gran's hat and dress. Think of Dobby. Think of anything but Hermione with her tongue on his…

Neville got up quickly, leaving his things behind. He walked very stiffly to the boy's bathroom as quickly as he could. Once he found the nearest bathroom he ducked in and hid in a stall. He cast a Silencing Charm and let out a groan. He stroked himself imagining Hermione with him, moaning her name. When he finally came he was standing with his hands on the wall, feet spread apart, panting as if he had run a race. Neville felt awful. He had never been so unable to control himself. He heard a knock on the door.

"Just a minute," he called. Neville cast a silent "Scourgify" and opened the door. Harry was waiting for him by the sink with his things, grinning.

"That Sugar Quill, eh? Does some crazy things to the mind," Harry said jovially. "But really, Hermione was a little worried at how quickly you left. If you don't do something soon, your magic will start to be affected."

"Hermione doesn't want that. She's too…sweet," Neville said sheepishly. He felt as if he had violated something sacred. There was no way she would be into that. Could there? She had that look in her eyes today though. That look that said she was hungry. Hungry for him.

"Don't be so quick to dismiss her wants. If I didn't know better, I'd say her thoughts were following a very similar path today. That Sugar Quill is gone, man. Sucked dry, as it were," Harry smirked. He knew Hermione better than anybody and could tell she was struggling with her newfound feelings as well. It would take a lot to make her drift like that in class, and Harry was almost certain Neville had a lot to do with it. And while he was sure Hermione's daydreams weren't quite as graphic as Neville's, they led to the same place.

"Just…don't sweat it. It happened to me three times when Ginny and I first started dating," he said. He hadn't told anyone this before, not even Ron.

"When? Oh!" Neville said, remembering Harry leaving class quite suddenly a number of times. "We all thought breakfast hadn't sat well with you!"

"That's what I wanted you to think. And that's what we're going to tell Hermione, too," he replied. He knew Neville was grateful that he had his back. With that, they gathered their things and headed to the Common Room for their break before lunch.


	6. The Room of Requirement

Hermione was glad to hear that Neville was better after History of Magic and very grateful to Harry for taking care of him. She babied Neville the rest of the day, not letting him eat anything greasy or heavy for lunch. By dinner he was quite starving and had to convince her that his illness during History of Magic had been a fluke and he was quite alright to eat some bangers and mash.

"Hermione?" Neville asked. "Do you have time after dinner? I want to talk to you about our essays for Transfiguration."

"Shall we meet in the Common Room?" She said, nose buried in another book.

"I was thinking the Room of Requirement. I want to practice the spells without distraction. If that's okay," he said quietly.

Hermione turned a little pink but nodded. "Sure, how about in fifteen minutes? I'll go get my things." With that she ran off to the girl's dormitory to grab her Transfiguration essay and some books. She also decided to brush her teeth. By the time she had finished, she was already late. She ran to the seventh floor and walked past the tapestry of Barnabas the Barmy three times, thinking of a place to study with Neville.

The door appeared and she entered, slightly out of breath. Neville was already there on a very plush couch with his papers spread out on a coffee table in front of him. The room was much smaller than usual and cozier looking. It had books about Transfiguration lining the walls and a bright fireplace. He smiled as Hermione entered and stood to take her things.

"Isn't this nice? We should study here all the time!" Hermione breathed. There were even some objects to transfigure. Right near the table was a pile of hats Neville had been planning to try and turn into rabbits.

"It is quite perfect. Watch this!" he said pointing his wand at a purple hat with a green feather. "Lapifors!"

The hat turned into a small-eared rabbit. It was perfect except for the green feather sticking out between its ears. Hermione giggled and plucked the feather from the rabbit, tickling the animal's nose with it. The rabbit sniffed and hopped away to groom itself.

"I'm getting better. Thanks to you. But I need your help with something else, Hermione," he whispered. She shuddered at his breath on her ear.

"Yes?" she asked. She turned to face him and put her hands on his chest. This was going rather fast but she wouldn't have it any other way. Not after her daydreams this morning. Neville needed it too. Ginny told her later why he had really run out of the room, according to Harry. Ginny thought it very funny, but Hermione felt a little guilty that she had unknowingly done that to him. Guilty and oddly flattered.

He kissed her roughly this time, not waiting for her to acquiesce. His hands found her hips and pulled her to him, grinding into her stomach. She was so much shorter than he was and he needed her closer so he could devour her. Neville picked her up and lightly tossed her onto the couch, which seemed much bigger now. Almost like a bed.

Neville placed his hands in hers and held her down while he kissed her. His tongue fought for dominance over hers until he broke away to kiss down her neck. He kept both his knees tightly by her legs to keep her from wriggling while he undid her shirt. He growled at the sight of her slight body, the purple bra that lay between him and his goal. He unsnapped it and tossed it aside, taking her left breast in his mouth, sucking hard while his right hand pinched her other nipple.

Hermione was making delicious little sounds and he wanted to hear more, lounder. Neville kissed down her stomach oh so slowly. Her tummy dipped as she breathed in a gasp. There was already pressure building up in her abdomen and she needed him to release it. Her hands were tugging on his shirt, so he stood up on his knees and pulled of his shirt. Hermione gasped at the lean figure before her. She knew Neville had shaped up but had no idea he was so masculine. He had the lightest dusting of dark hair on his chest and another line of hair that traveled from his navel down to his pants. He smirked at her reaction and continued kissing slowly down her body, his hands still massaging her breasts.

When Neville reached her waistband, he gently unbuttoned her skirt while staring into Hermione's brown eyes. He was searching them, making sure she was okay with where this was going. Because after he undid her skirt, there was no going back. Hermione nodded, reading his thoughts. She lifted her hips so he could pull the skirt off and opened her legs slightly. Neville bent down and kissed her hard on the lips, pressing his bare chest to hers. His hands gripped her hips hard while he ground his hardness into her. Hermione's hands found his belt buckle and started to undo his pants, pushing them down. He stood up and took them off quickly, returning to kiss her again.

This time his hands slid down to touch her through her panties. Hermione moaned quietly at this new sensation. He continued to kiss her as he slipped his fingers into her panties and stroked her gently. He stroked her nub until she felt wet enough and then slid a long finger inside. Hermione gasped and opened her legs wider. He slid it in and out a few times before adding another. Hermione was close, but not there. She moaned when he broke the kiss to move back down her body and pull her panties off completely.

Then he surprised her and buried his head in her nest of chestnut curls. His tongue flicked her nub, rubbing in a circle and up and down. Then he moved later and shoved his tongue into her core. "Neville!" she screamed, sitting up and grabbing his hair. He continued moving his tongue in and out of her until she came, screaming his name. He licked her clean and moved back up to kiss her more.

As they were kissing, her hands found their way to his boxers and pushed them down his slender hips. His manhood stood out, long and hard. She tentatively took hold of it, eliciting a groan from Neville. She moved her small hand up and down it until he was sure he would burst. He stopped her ministrations but she just smiled and bent down, taking his tip in her mouth. It was all he could do to contain himself. She licked and kissed his member, pumping with her hands until he came in her mouth, screaming "Hermione, yes!". She swallowed, thinking of the Sugar Quills. That made it easier to take.

Neville growled again and pushed her onto her back. He tangled his hands in her hair and kissed her forcefully. He was ready to go again, and this time it would be real. He positioned himself at her entrance. She nodded and he pushed in, breaking her barrier. She stiffened and tears came to her eyes. He waited for her to adjust and kissed away her tears. They were salty and sweet, just like when he kissed her neck. She relaxed and moved her hips a little. Neville took this as a go ahead and started pumping into her. He was going fast and the pressure was building in both of them. Hermione was rocking her hips to meet his thrusts and they created a perfect rhythm. He held her hands as he rocked into her, finally coming together. They screamed each others names, panting from the release.

Neville collapsed onto Hermione and pulled her close to him. She snuggled into his chest, smelling the scent of toothpaste and cut grass and that something else she could never quite put her finger on. That something that truly defined Neville. She smiled. This had been perfect. Neville pulled her closer and fell asleep, his arms around her waist, making her feel safe. Hermione sighed and let herself drift off to


End file.
